This invention relates generally to the field of evaluating a pitcher's slow-pitch softball pitching performance, and more specifically to announcing whether such a pitch is a strike.
Slow-pitch softball has been enjoying increasing popularity among people of all ages. Small and large competitive leagues have been formed nationwide. Furthermore, slow-pitch softball is also played purely for recreational purposes.
In slow-pitch softball, a pitched ball is directed with a generally arched trajectory. When a properly pitched slow-pitch softball reaches its destination, that is, the strike zone of a batter, it descends from the latter half of the arch toward the ground. Therefore, it is possible to determine if a pitch was a strike or a ball by noting where the ball has impacted upon the ground.
In the past, a home plate umpire has been required to determine whether a pitched ball which is not struck by a batter is a strike or a ball. An umpire will make his or her determination by observing the path of the ball in relation to the batter. Before the ball reaches the ground, it is usually caught by a catcher. The catcher's glove also provides a target for the pitcher.
A significant disadvantage arises in positioning a home plate umpire close enough to home plate to observe whether the pitch is a strike or a ball. It is possible that an improperly pitched ball may stray from its intended path and hit the umpire. By positioning the umpire close to the strike zone, there is a continuing potential for injury to the umpire.
Moreover, positioning a catcher in or near the path of a pitched ball creates the potential for injury to the catcher. Previously, the catcher had to be positioned near the path of the ball to provide a target for the pitcher.
Furthermore, because a home plate umpire relies upon his or her observations to determine whether a pitched ball is a strike or a ball, the accuracy of the umpire's call may be questionable. In general, the accuracy of an umpire's call may not be entirely reliable. The issue of reliability invariably becomes the subject of dispute among interested parties.